We’ve asked some senior members of Arcadia Rotary to recall their memories of the the club’s early days. This is the first of several recollections from Ernie Jensen who has been a member since 1982.

I joined the Arcadia Rotary Club in 1982, with Tom Miles and Gil Stromsoe. The club met at the Ramada Inn (Santa Anita Inn now), & over the years moved to the Women’s Club, then to the Howard Johnson’s(Courtyard Marriott now) in Monrovia. At that time, we did not have a large enough venue for our 135 members to meet in Arcadia. In 1988-89, I was the Vice President of the Club, and therefore in charge of Club Service, and the operations of the club. The “New” Hotels built in Arcadia, caused Allen Yack our florist member, to ask – “Why don’t you try again to contract with the Embassy Suites for a meeting room?” (Their policy was – no year-long contracts, because they wanted to have the meeting rooms available for people staying in the Embassy Suites.) Stig Hedlund was the general manager, who later joined our club, facilitated a contract for us to return to Arcadia and display our Rotary sign on the corner. Embassy Suites has been our club’s home ever since.